Broken Memories

Chapter One

I walked into the hotel bar. It was fairly busy. Most of the tables were occupied and there were a couple of young women stood at one end of the bar with a tall, dark-haired man. I didn't pay too much attention to them as I was looking around for a free table and to see if my sister had come down from her room as I had said I'd meet her in the bar after we got back from the theatre. I decided to get a drink first while I was waiting. As I got closer to the bar, I heard a very familiar voice, my heart lurched... it couldn't be him, surely? I turned and stared at the back of the man who was busy chatting to the two women...Yes, it was him! After all these years, I couldn't believe it. I turned my back in case he turned round while I waited to be served. Once I'd got my drink, I quickly looked round for a table and saw one at the back. I hurried over to the seat and sat side-ways on to the rest of the room. I busied myself texting my sister, but couldn't resist sneaking a quick look at him. Damn, he still looks as gorgeous as I remembered! Why couldn't he be going bald or be pot-bellied or something? I tried to be rational about things: He's only a man, just like any other and he broke my heart, so he's not that special anyway. I kept trying to deny my feelings that had suddenly surfaced after all this time. I look at him again. Damn! He caught me looking! Does he remember me? He bloody well should, we were in love, all those years ago, that must count for something? I quickly study my phone, pretending to text a message.
Suddenly a voice says, "Hi, I thought it was you, when you came in".
I look up... into his beautiful blue eyes... I stare at him, almost mesmerised, memories from the past come crowding into my head. I start to speak but stumble over my words, I stop, and he just smiles... That's so not good,not good at all... this is not fair, that smile, those blue eyes! I try to look away and compose myself.
Then he says, "sorry, didn't mean to make you jump. How are you?"
How am I? I think to myself.... Umm, I've just been hit by a bolt from the blue and you're standing there as cool as you like, totally unperturbed by my being here after all these years. I don't know how I am quite frankly.
"Oh, fine" I hear myself saying. "How are you these days?"
Before he had a chance to answer my sister Clair arrived at the table.
"Oh Clair, you remember Jason don't you?" I ask her.
"Umm, oh yes, hello. Sorry I'm late Beccy, had a phone call from David.
David is my sister's new boyfriend and so he calls her whenever they're apart for more than a few hours, it's quite sweet really, but I'm not too keen on him, still he's not my problem. Though I may now have one of my own! I laugh silently to myself.
"What are you drinking ladies?" Jason asks. I lift my glass to show I've still got most of mine to drink. Clair asks for a dry white wine. "So two dry white wines it is then. Be back in a minute" I shake my head at his cheekiness as he strolls off to the bar with his familiar swagger.
"What's he doing here? Did you know he was here? How long have you been seeing him? Clair bombards me with questions.
"I'm not seeing him, I haven't seen him in years and I've no idea why he's here. He'd only just said hello when you arrived." I counter a bit snappily.
"Sorry, I thought, maybe you'd been seeing him again, but because of the circumstances, had kept things under-wraps" Clair replied.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just so stunned to see him again, after all this time." I explain.
"Well, you must have seen him recently, you know on tv and that?" Clair asks.
"No, I've not been interested at all. I'm happy they're successful but that's as far as my interest has gone." I truthfully reply.
When the band re-formed I was happy for their success but I had no desire to see or listen to the new stuff. It had mostly passed me by. That's why my reaction to seeing him now was such a shock.